Vending machine access panel and method of formation

1. A vending machine for the dispensing of packaged products such as drinks, confections and food, said vending machine having a movable access panel providing access to an internal area of the machine by a person, the access panel being located such that a consumer is likely to view the access panel during operation of the machine, said vending machine comprising: an enclosure securely enclosing product to be selectively purchased by a consumer, said enclosure having a front portion; a plurality of feed mechanisms each operable to selectively dispense product to a product access area where the consumer can access the dispensed product for subsequent use; a product selection device associated with the feed mechanisms and usable by the consumer to select the product desired for dispensing; an access panel movable between closed and open positions adjacent said product access area, said panel having a portion visible in the closed position to a consumer, said panel having advertising indicia behind an outer disposed surface of the visible portion of the panel and viewable therethrough by a consumer when the panel is in its closed position, said access panel forming a minor portion of the front of the enclosure.

2. A vending machine as sent forth in claim 1 wherein the access panel includes an outer layer of transparent material with said advertising indicia being applied to an inner surface thereof.

3. A vending machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said access panel includes an inner layer of material applied to the inner surface sealing the indicia between the inner and outer layers.

4. A vending machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein said outer layer is molded polymeric material and said inner layer is molded polymeric material.

5. A vending machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein outer layer and inner layer are bonded to one another.

6. A vending machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said access panel is mounted for pivotal movement between the open and closed positions and prevents access to the product in the enclosure prior to dispensing and allowing access to product only after the product has been dispensed by the feed mechanism.

7. A vending machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said access panel is mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis.

8. A vending machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said access panel is mounted for movement in a generally horizontal plane.

9. A vending machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said access panel is the front panel of a drawer.

10. A vending machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of said visible portion is at an angle in the range of about 0 thru about 45 from vertical when said access panel is in the closed position.

11. A method of forming an access panel for a vending machine, said vending machine including an enclosure having a front portion, comprising: forming an outer panel of material that allows viewing therethrough, said outer panel having an outer surface and an inner surface and a contour; applying advertising indicia to at least a portion of the inner surface; forming an inner panel and securing it in overlying relation to the advertising indicia thereby to have said advertising indicia between the inner and outer panels; positioning said outer and inner panels with respect to said front portion so that the access panel forms a minor portion of said front portion; and positioning said outer and inner panels for access to at least one dispensed product dispensed from a plurality of feed mechanisms.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said advertising indicia is applied prior to forming the contour of the outer panel.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including bonding the inner panel to the outer panel encapsulating the advertising indicia therebetween.

14. A method as set forth in claim 11 including forming access panel mounting means as part of the inner panel.

15. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the outer panel is pressure formed at a temperature below the melting point of the outer panel.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the inner panel is pressure formed at a temperature above the melting point of the inner panel.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the inner panel is secured to the outer panel by fusion.

18. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said outer panel includes a main viewing area with at least a portion of the advertising indicia therebehind and viewable therethrough, the main viewing area is positioned such that when the access panel is mounted on a vending machine and in a closed position, the viewing area will have a substantial portion thereof at an angle in the range of about 0 thru about 45 from vertical.

19. An access panel for use with a vending machine and adapted for displaying advertising indicia to consumers, said vending machine including an enclosure having a front portion, said access panel comprising: a front panel with a viewing area having inner and outer surfaces, said viewing area being at least one of transparent and translucent; advertising indicia on said inner surface and visible through said viewing area; a back panel having an inner surface adjacent the inner surface of the front panel surface with the advertising indicia therebetween; and said access panel forming a minor portion of said front portion and in operable engagement with at least one dispensed product dispensed from a plurality of feed mechanisms.

20. An access panel as set forth in claim 19 wherein the back panel is bonded to the front panel.

21. An access panel as set forth in claim 20 wherein the front and back panels are comprised of polymeric material and are fused together at the inner surfaces encapsulating the advertising indicia.

22. An access panel as set forth in claim 21 wherein the back panel is molded to the front panel.